Brass Band

A brass band is a musical ensemble that primarily consists of brass instruments, percussion instruments, and occasionally woodwind instruments. 

Brass bands are known for their bright, brassy sound and are often associated with various musical genres, including classical, jazz, and traditional or ceremonial music. They are commonly used in parades, festivals, and other outdoor events. Brass bands can vary in size, ranging from small groups to larger ensembles with multiple sections of brass and percussion instruments.

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The instruments of a brass band usually include (in descending order of pitch) the cornet, flugelhorn, tenor horn, B flat baritone, euphonium, trombone, and bombardon (bass tuba), as well as drums and other percussion as needed. While they are usually made of brass today, in the past they were made of wood, horn, and glass.

Many countries have brass bands (which differ from military bands in having no woodwind instruments), but it was in Britain that a particularly strong tradition developed of amateur bands linked with places of work, particularly in Lancashire and Yorkshire. In England the brass band began to replace the earlier bands of the town waits (public musicians) and of village churches at the beginning of the 19th century. Employers in industrial areas encouraged the formation of such bands, in an apparent effort to distract workers from politics in their leisure time.

The Stalybridge Old Band, established by 1814, is usually quoted as the first brass band. Stalybridge gained particular distinction in the 1840s when they transitioned to using all piston-valved brass instruments, becoming one of the first bands to do so and contributing significantly to the evolution of the traditional brass band sound.

The development of the cornopean, a predecessor of the cornet, and of a family of brass instruments with similar fingering invented by the French instrument builder Adolphe Sax facilitated the adoption of brass instruments by amateur players and the growth of brass bands in northern England.

In 1878 Charles Fry, a Methodist preacher and musician, and his three sons brought their brass instruments to support Salvation Army open-air meetings in Salisbury, England. Their spirited music attracted crowds and proved highly effective in engaging listeners. It also was a good way of dealing with hecklers. This event is widely considered the spark that ignited the passion for brass bands within the Salvation Army.

The Fry family band, fondly known as "The Happy Band," gained fame through their association with William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army. They accompanied him on campaigns and helped establish the brass band tradition within the organization.

The first recognized Salvation Army brass band, a corps band, was formed in Consett, England in 1879. This band operated within the structure of the Army and served a specific community.

By 1900 in England, band concerts were regular events in village life. Many factories organized employees' bands. An employee would work at a job in the factory and then "double in brass" in the company band.

Louis Armstrong was 13 when he celebrated the New Year by running out on the street and firing a pistol that belonged to the current man in his mother's life. At the Colored Waifs Home for Boys, he learned to play the bugle and the clarinet and joined the home's brass band.

Some classical composers have written for the brass bands, including Edward Elgar in his Severn Suite (1930) and Grimethorpe Aria (1973) by Harrison Birtwistle.

"The Floral Dance" famously featured in the 1996 film Brassed Off. The original piece was written by Katie Moss, a classically trained musician and singer who studied at the Royal Academy Of Music, and was first recorded in 1912, by the Australian classical singer Peter Dawson. The best known recording is probably the instrumental version recorded by the Brighouse & Rastrick Brass Band.

Souces Hutchinson, Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc.